Alan Menken
Alan Menken is an American film and musical theater composer and pianist. He composed music for The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, Pocahontas, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Hercules, Home on the Range, Enchanted, and Tangled. He has worked with lyricists Howard Ashman, Tim Rice, Stephen Schwartz, David Zippel, and Glenn Slater. In 2001 he and his musical partner Howard Ashman were named Disney Legends, their plaques are presented together on the same post at the Team -- Disney Michael D. Eisner Building, He is currently the only living person with the most number of Academy Awards (four each for Best Original Score and Best Original Song). He has the third most Oscars of all time. Only Alfred Newman (9 wins) and Walt Disney (22 wins) have received more than him. He is tied with late costume designer Edith Head for the third most Oscar wins. He has written songs outside of Disney, his most notable work being the 1982 musical Little Shop of Horrors, ''which was adapted into a film by Frank Oz in 1986. The song "Mean Green Mother from Outer Space" earned him and Ashman their first Oscar nomination. Feature Film Filmography Early Years Alan Menken was born on July 22, 1949 in New Rochelle, New York. From his early years his parents described Alan as a "Lover of Music". He even used to fake conduct to recordings of Beethoven's 5th Symphony, etc. When the time came for him to attend college he attended New York University, studying pre-med but later changing his focus to music. His first professional work, with Howard Ashman, was 1979 WPA theatre of ''God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater. Three years later, he received huge success with the 1982 off-Broadway production of Little Shop of Horrors, again with Ashman, in which he received a Drama Desk nomination. Little Shop of Horrors ''was made into a motion picture and received a Broadway run. Alan Menken also received his first Oscar nomination with "Mean Green Mother from Outer Space". Perhaps Alan Menken is best known for his work with Walt Disney Pictures. During his time with the film company, he received 18 Academy Award nominations and 16 Golden Globe nominations. He is seen as one of the key players in the Disney Renaissance. Also, he is one of the two people to receive three musical nominations in the same year (Academy Awards). Doing so once for ''Enchanted, and once for Beauty and the Beast. Gallery Ashmanmenken200.jpg|Alan Menken with the late Howard Ashman. Alan Menken Howard Ashman Oscar awards.jpg|Menken and Ashman receiving their Academy awards for Little Mermaid. Ashman Menken behind scenes of BatB.jpg|Menken and Ashman behind the scenes of Beauty and the Beast. 780x463-questions-with-alan-menken 2.jpg|Alan Menken working with Tim Rice on Aladdin. Alan Menken Tim Rice.jpg|Alan Menken with Tim Rice. music menken schwartz big.jpg|Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz receiving their Academy Awards. MENKEN ZIPPEL.jpg|Alan Menken with David Zippel behind the scenes of Hercules. Alan-Menken-Glenn-Slater-alan-menken-16290938-400-320.jpg|Alan Menken with Glenn Slater Alan Menken & Glenn Slater Donna Murphy .jpg|Alan Menken and Glenn Slater supervising Donna Murphy's recording session. es:Alan Menken nl:Alan Menken sr-el:Alan Menken Category:People Category:1940s births Category:Musicians Category:Composers Category:American people Category:The Little Mermaid Category:Beauty and the Beast Category:Aladdin Category:Pocahontas Category:The Hunchback Of Notre Dame Category:Hercules Category:Home on the Range Category:Enchanted Category:Tangled Category:Disney Legends Category:Disney Renaissance Category:Annie Award Winner Category:Annie Award Nominated Category:Disney Revival Category:People from New York Category:Newsies Category:Disney Post-Renaissance Category:King David Category:Wreck-It Ralph Category:Sister Act Category:Marvel Comics Category:Captain America Category:Marvel Cinematic Universe